Page 8 of Destined Dawn

Pip.

I hadn’t even noticed he was here in the room with me, because he always is, always by my side, my ever faithful companion. He stares at me from the end of the bed, head raised, clever eyes observing me.

And I know.

“Pip,” I say as the woman in the memory playing out inside my head says his name too. Both of us saying his name together.

His snout wrinkles.

“I’m sure you’ve figured out by now that he is no ordinary pig.” She smiles at me and through her face I see the outline of my ever dependable pet. “Pip is your familiar. He’s here to help you, Rhianna. Here to stop your dreams. To …” she hesitates, “repress that darker magic I sense running through your veins. He’s here until you need him. Here to help protect you. But …” The smile slides off her face and a sense of unease brews in my stomach.

I shake my head. I don’t know what’s coming next, and yet I sense I am not going to like it. I shake my head in frustration.

“One day,” my aunt continues, “there’s going to come a time – a time when you’re ready to meet the destiny your mother foretold, when you’ll need to call on all your powers – and then you’ll need to let him go. To let all of us go.” I stare at her, dazed. “Rhianna, the only way to release your full powers, will be to let Pip go.”

I shift my gaze to my faithful, dependable pet, sitting there watching me.

There are a lot of things I am willing to do, that I am prepared to risk or sacrifice. Bonding with five men. Flying on the back of a dragon. Fighting magicals far more powerful than I am.

But give Pip up?

Never.

I’m never going to do that. And frankly, I can’t see why I’d ever need to. I’m already stronger than I was. With each bonding to one of my fated mates, the magic in my veins hassoared. I don’t need any more magic. I don’t need the ability to see the future. I need Pip.

My aunt’s still talking but I don’t hear any more of the words. Instead, I reach for Pip and drag him onto my lap, snuggling my face against the top of his soft head as he squeaks at me.

How did I never see it? How did I never realize?

A pig that never ages. Who seems to understand me. Who’s there whenever I need him.

The answers were there right in front of my very nose the entire time.

“It’s okay,” I tell him. “It’s okay. I won’t ever let you go.”

A sudden anger flares through my stomach. How could she even suggest such a thing? She left me. So did my mom. My dad. All the people who should have been here to care for and protect me – all those who were meant to love me. Not Pip. He’s been here through thick and thin. The only one I’ve ever been able to depend on.

The anger grows. Why did she make this all so hard? Secret memories in my head? Lockets that could have protected me? Knives with secret histories? She could have told me all this. Face to face. Let me ask all my questions.

She didn’t. She left me struggling and all alone, barely hanging on.

A voice in my head protests. The illness took her suddenly. She had no time.

But I don’t care. There was plenty of time. All those years together, all those long, lonely nights. And she chose never to tell me a thing.

4

Renzo

I don’t like people.

I don’t like the way they smell. I don’t like the weird noises they make. And I don’t like the space they take up.

Mostly I like being on my own.

The only exception is my little rabbit. I like the way she smells. The way she tastes. And fuck, I love the sounds she makes. Especially when she’s coming. Or when she’s really mad and her magic makes that dark and dangerous hissing sound. Yeah, I really love that.

Everyone else can go to hell and I’ll happily send them there myself.